Direction-indicating mechanism



Jaly 14, 1925.

E. J. WlLSON, JR

DIRECTION INDICATING MEGHANISM ll/w f Filed March l0, 1923 f v m,

WITNESS/58 WJ Eid? PatentedJuly 14, 1925.

UNITED STATES 1,546,275 PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD JOSEPH WILSON, JR., OF WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK.

DIRECTION-INDICATING HMHANISH.

ap'pueaticn filed inrcn 1o, 1923. serial no. 624,191.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD J osnPH WIL- soN, Jr., a citizen of the United States, and

a resident of White Plains, in the county of Westchester and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Direction- Indicating Mechanism, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in switchin devices for operating signals and has particular reference to a mechanism for controlling the operation of direction indicating signals for vehicles.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved device which is Ycontrolled by movements of the steerin post of a vehicle to o erate a signal, or slgnals, to indicate the irection in which the vehicle is turning.

A further object is to so construct the switching device that the wear on certain parts, incident to repeated use, may be readily and quickly taken up. Y

The above and other objects will a pear more clearly from the following detail description, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, which illustrates a preferred embodiment of the inventive idea.

In the drawing- Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the switching device illustrating diagrammatically the operating circuits and si als controlled thereby; and

igure 2 is a side elevation of the switching device showing the manner of mounting the same in association with the steering post of a 'vehicle Referring more articularly to the drawing, the numerallb indicates the steering post of a vehicle which, in the usual manner, extends through the wall 6 separating the en 'ne from the drivers compartment.

e switching device, which comprises the essential features of the invention, in-

cludes a circular casing 7 made of any-de-4 sirable material and having a radially extending opening 8 therein for receiving the steering post 5, the length of .said opening being such that when the steering post 1s at the inner end thereof, the casing will be disposed concentrically with 'respect to said post. The casing 7 is supported in its o erative position in association with t e steering post by means of an angular bracket 9, the ends of which are secured to the wall 6 and the top of the casing 7 in any preferred manner.

Secured within the casing 7 between the top and` bottom thereof are theo positely disposed insulating members 10 oi) arcuate formation to conform to the contour of the casing, the adjacent ends of said members beingspaced, as clearly shown in Figure 1. Associated witheach of the members v10 is a stationary contact segment 11, also of arcuate formation, held 1n operative position by means of a terminal post 12, the inner end of which is secured Ato the adjacent end portion of the segment 11 to support the same inproper position within the casing.

A collar 13 is secured to the steering post 5 in any desired manner and carries a movable contact 14 in such manner that said contact may be engaged with the segments 11 when the steering post 5 is turned in either direction. When the post is in its normal position the contact 14 is positioned in the space between adjacent ends of the segments 11 and this space is of suicient width to permit of the usual play in the steering post without causing the contact 14 to engagev either of the segments. However, when the steering ost is turned suficiently to change the irection of travel Lof the vehicle, the contact 14 will engage.

one of the segments 11 and thus'close a circuit for operating a signal, or signals, which indicates the direction in which the vehicle y is turning.

In order to compensate for the wear occasioned by repeated engagement ofthe contact 14 with the segments 11, means are provided for radially adjusting the segments 11 so that the contact 14 will always engage y tioned within a recess 16 formed in the inner surface of each insulating member 10. Said plate conforms to the contour of the member 10 and the associated segment 11 and is interposed between the same so that an inward adjustment, of the plate will also force the engaged segment 11 in the same direction. To adjust either of the segments inwardly the nut of the terminal post 12 which car'- ries such segment is first loosened and then either or both of the screws or other suitable adjusting devices 17 are turned to exert an inward pressure upon the plate 15. In this manner the segment 11 may be adusted until its entire contacting surface will engaged by the contact 14 as the steering post Figure 1, an

vis rotated. The nut of the terminal post may again be tightened to securely retain the seent 11 in 1ts adjusted position.

e signals employed in connection with` on the instrument board. In-the latter case,

' the set 19 would be employed merely for the purpose of indicating to the driver that the operating circuits for the set 18 were in proper working order. The lamps of the two sets 18 vand 19 are paired and the lamps of each pair are arranged in .series so that when the operating circuit for either pair is closed, both lamps will light to indicate the direction in which the vehicle is turning.

For example, if the steering post5 should be turned to the left to engage the contact 14 with the left hand segment 11, as viewed.

in Figure 1, a circuit is closed extending from the battery 20 through the switch 21,

which may be the ignition switch of the engine, contact 14, the engaged segment 11 and its associated terminal post, conductor 22, the left hand lamps of the sets 18 and 19 in series and from thence'to the other terminal of the battery 20.

From the oregolng'description, it will be obvious that the invention provides a direction indicating mechanism for vehicles, the

amants switching device of which may'lbe readily applied 1n position on the lsteering post of the vehicle 'and which will effectively operate to control the direction indicating s1g nals in accordance with'the movements ofV said steering post.

What is claimed is:

` In a signaling mechanism, the combination with a rotatable member; of a switching device including a casing through which said rotatable member extends, arcuate contact segments mounted in opposite sides of said casing in spaced relation with respect to each other and to the wall of the easing, arcuate insulating members interposed in the space between said segments and the Wall of the casing and each having an arcuate recess in the inner face thereof adj acent the associated arcuate segment, means extending through each insulating member and its associated segment at adjacent ends thereof for securing said segment in position, an arcuate adjusting plate interposed between each insuylating member and associated segment and disposed in the yrecess of said insulating member, adjusting means 'for each adjusting plate extending through said casing and insulating member and engageable with said plate, and a contact carried by said rotatable member and movable therewith into engagement with either one of said contact 

